UH-OH CAFO!

Louise Codina

Concentrated Animal Feeding

Operations are corrupting the world.

All About CAFO

youre eating is contaminated with poop? Not only is it
important to know what we eat, it is also important to
know what the foods that we eat, ate. CAFOs, which
stand for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, were
created to produce more meat on less land and lower
cost. Although that sounds like a great thing, it comes
with many consequences that are harmful to the
environment and personal health. It also affects the
animals involved in this process due to poor living
conditions and the diet they are given. It is crucial that
people are aware of the effects that CAFOs cause to the
environment, health, and even quality of the food.

detrimental effect on health. In addition, it may even

cause death if the production of CAFO waste continues.
According to another source, CAFO manure has
contaminated drinking water in many rural areas, caused
fish kills (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2008). This
reveals that not only it affects the health of people; it also
affects the drinking water source. Furthermore, because
the water becomes polluted, the communities of people
wouldnt have drinkable water to drink. Thus, the
combined evidence provides us with a better
understanding of the damaging aftermath that is
inevitable when it comes to CAFOs.

What is the problem/topic?

What is causing the issue?

How would you feel if you found out that the meat

The cause of all this pollution and corruption in the

environment is because of the conditions that the animals
are put through. For example, animals kept in CAFOs
live their entire lives in confined conditions and they are
forced to endure living on concrete in their own

CAFOs are destructive to the environment and personal

health due to the amount of waste it produces. For
example, the hydrogen sulfide in CAFO waste can cause
poisoning which can result to irreversible damage,
dizziness, headache, nausea, and other illness (Sierra
Club, 2016). This means that CAFOs can have a very

excrement with no access to pasture, fresh air, or natural

light (Socially Responsible Agricultural Project, 2016).
This shows that the animals are being treated poorly and
are left to live in their own waste. Also, theres a chance
that the animals may eat their own fecal matter since its
everywhere. In addition, air and water pollution are
produced by unmanageable mountains and lagoons of
manure (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2008). This is
the result of improperly disposing the manure.
Furthermore, it also emits many harmful gases. These
pieces of evidence help us learn more about the conflicts
that CAFOs result in.

How does the CAFO meat get contaminated?

CAFOs are also the cause of contaminated meat due to
their unsanitary practices. According to Appropedia,

where your food has been and how it was treated before
it went in your body.

What are the impacts to the environments?

As stated in a previous paragraph, CAFOs are causing
pollution in the air and water supplies of communities.
For example, high levels of nitrates in drinking water can
cause blue baby syndrome, a potentially fatal blood
disorder (Sierra Club, 2016). This reveals that the
pollution it creates can have devastating effects on the
environment and the people around. In addition, it is a
very complicated process to remove the dangerous
chemicals from water for it to become consumable again.
Also, the air pollution inside the buildings is potentially
deadly to the animals and the humans inside if the fans
ever stopped operating (Sierra Club, 2016). This means
that the air pollution is so bad that it's to a point that the
only things keeping them alive in the buildings are the
fans. This shows how severe the pollution has gotten.
Thus, the connected information contributes to our
knowledge of the dangers CAFOs bring.

What are the impacts to personal health?

Just like the impacts it has on the environment,
CAFOs also have a crucial impact on personal health
as well. For example, CAFOs breed pathogens such
as the E. coli bacteria (Appropedia, 2011). It has
gotten so serious that it develops deadly illnesses. In
animals raised in close quarters are given subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics to avoid sickness induced
by confinement in CAFOs (Appropedia, 2011). This
causes bacteria in the animal to become resistant to the
antibiotic. In addition, this leads the antibiotic to lose its
effectiveness necessary for treating human illnesses.
Another example of how CAFOs cause meat to be
tarnished is that meat is commonly contaminated by
feces and other bodily fluids during the slaughter process
(Socially Responsible Agricultural Project, 2016). This
shows that it is not safe to consume meat from factory
farms. Furthermore, the unsanitary environment causes
the meat to be inedible. In conclusion, it is good to know

addition, even when these meats are contaminated

with pathogens and other harmful things, it doesn't
stop meat companies from selling their product.
Another example of this was in 1982, an outbreak of
E. coli sickened 47 McDonalds customers
(Appropedia, 2011). A lot more incidents of E. coli

were reported after that incident. Nothing major

has changed since then. Therefore, it is important to
be knowledgeable of the whereabouts of the food
you consume.

What are some solutions?

There arent many solutions to end the damage that
CAFOs cause. One alternative would be to have more
sustainable farms. Not only are they environmentally
friendlier, they offer the animals healthier conditions
which reduce the use of antibiotics (Union of Concerned
Scientists, 2008). This shows that the animals are a lot
healthier in sustainable farms compared to factory farms.
Also, the meats are less likely to be contaminated and are
more taken care of. Furthermore, the manure is put to
immediate use as fertilizer, minimizing pollution (Union
of Concerned Scientists, 2008). This is helpful for the
environment because the manure is put to good use and
not building up. In addition, the waste that CAFOs
produce will no longer endanger the water source of
communities. Ultimately, the evidence combined
contributes a thorough understanding of the issue CAFOs
cause

Final Remarks
As stated in throughout this research article, CAFOs are
the root of some of the pollution that goes into this world.
It is thanks to the conditions that factory farms practice
that result to detrimental results such as contaminated
meat, poor health conditions, air pollution, and
inconsumable water. There arent many solutions to this
major problem and that should change for the sake of the
future of this world.

References

[CAFO waste pool]. Retrieved from

http://willpowerisforfatpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/cafo-waste-pool.jpg
Cary, D., Grafman, L., & Lucas, P. (2011). The Problems With CAFOs. Retrieved from
http://www.appropedia.org/The_Problems_With_CAFOs
[Cow covered in waste]. Retrieved from
http://greenthumbfarming.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/cafodairy.jpg
[E. coli cell]. Retrieved from http://www.nature-education.org/cart/ecoli-cell.jpg
[No more CAFOs sign]. Retrieved from
https://deliciousrebellion.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/no-cafo-graphic.jpg
Sierra Club. (n.d.). CAFO Facts. Retrieved from http://www.sierraclub.org/michigan/cafo-facts
Socially Responsible Agricultural Project. (2016). Factory Farms Abuse Animals. Retrieved from
http://www.sraproject.org/factory-farms-abuse-animals/
[Table comparing CAFOs vs SPOs]. Retrieved from
https://www.organicconsumers.org/sites/default/files/hidden_costs_of_cafos.pdf
Union of Concerned Scientists. (2008). Hidden Costs of CAFOs. Retrieved from
https://www.organicconsumers.org/sites/default/files/hidden_costs_of_cafos.pdf
[Pen full of cows]. Retrieved from http://www.cafothebook.org/images/theissue_3.jpg